Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet
Encyclopedia
Brahms–Schoenberg Quartet is a ballet made by New York City Ballet
founding balletmaster (and co-founder) George Balanchine
to Brahms's
Piano Quartet No. 1
in G minor, Op. 25 (1861) orchestrated by Arnold Schoenberg
in 1937. The premiere took place Tuesday, April 12th, 1966 at the New York State Theater
, Lincoln Center
, with costumes by Karinska
, original lighting by Ronald Bates
and current lighting by Mark Stanley.
Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet was Balanchine's first abstract made for the stage at the New York State Theater (City Ballet had previously performed on the smaller stage of City Center of Music and Drama
, its home since its founding until its move to the New York State Theatre.)
Balanchine is quoted as saying that chamber music was not suited to large ballets, chamber pieces being "too long, with too many repeats, and [are] meant for small rooms." Schoenberg expressed similar feelings about the Brahms Piano Quartet; that it "is always very badly played, as the better the pianist, the louder he plays, and one hears nothing of the strings."
NYCB principal dancer Yvonne Borree
chose to include the Brahms–Schoenberg Quartet in her farewell performance, Sunday, June 6th, 2010.
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
founding balletmaster (and co-founder) George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
to Brahms's
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
Piano Quartet No. 1
Piano Quartet No. 1 (Brahms)
The Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25, was composed by Johannes Brahms between 1856 and 1861. It was Clara Schumann who owned this masterpiece, as she was the pianist for the first performance in 1861 in Hamburg. It was also played in Vienna on November 16, 1862 with Brahms himself at the piano...
in G minor, Op. 25 (1861) orchestrated by Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
in 1937. The premiere took place Tuesday, April 12th, 1966 at the New York State Theater
New York State Theater
The David H. Koch Theater is a theater for ballet and opera, part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts located at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and 63rd Street in New York City, United States. Originally named the New York State Theater, the house has been home to both the New York...
, Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
, with costumes by Karinska
Barbara Karinska
Varvara Jmoudsky, better known as Barbara Karinska or simply Karinska , was costumer of the New York City Ballet, and the first costume designer ever to win the Capezio Dance Award, for costumes "of visual beauty for the spectator and complete delight for the dancer".However, she designed the...
, original lighting by Ronald Bates
Ronald Bates
Ronald Bates was production stage manager for New York City Ballet where he began working in 1957. He studied scenic design at Los Angeles City College after serving in the Navy...
and current lighting by Mark Stanley.
Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet was Balanchine's first abstract made for the stage at the New York State Theater (City Ballet had previously performed on the smaller stage of City Center of Music and Drama
New York City Center
New York City Center is a 2,750-seat Moorish Revival theater located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, New York City. It is one block south of Carnegie Hall...
, its home since its founding until its move to the New York State Theatre.)
Balanchine is quoted as saying that chamber music was not suited to large ballets, chamber pieces being "too long, with too many repeats, and [are] meant for small rooms." Schoenberg expressed similar feelings about the Brahms Piano Quartet; that it "is always very badly played, as the better the pianist, the louder he plays, and one hears nothing of the strings."
NYCB principal dancer Yvonne Borree
Yvonne Borree
Yvonne Borree is a former principal dancer at New York City Ballet and was raised in Norfolk, Virginia, where she began her dance studies with the Tidewater Ballet Association at four years of age....
chose to include the Brahms–Schoenberg Quartet in her farewell performance, Sunday, June 6th, 2010.
original
- First movement
- Allegro
- Melissa HaydenMelissa Hayden (dancer)Melissa Hayden was a Canadian ballerina at the New York City Ballet.-Early life:...
- Gloria Govrin
- André ProkovskyAndré ProkovskyAndré Prokovsky was a principal dancer with New York City Ballet from 1963 to 1967 and roles in George Balanchine’s 1965 Pas de Deux and Divertissement and 1966 Brahms–Schoenberg Quartet with Melissa Hayden his partner in both.Born of Russian parents Prokovsky made his stage debut in 1954 with the...
- 8 women
- 4 men
- Second movement
- Intermezzo
- Patricia McBridePatricia McBridePatricia McBride is a ballerina who spent nearly 30 years dancing with the New York City Ballet....
- 3 women
- Conrad LudlowConrad LudlowConrad Ludlow is a former principal dancer with New York City Ballet under George Balanchine. He also danced at San Francisco Ballet and founded and directed Ballet Oklahoma...
- Third movement
- Andante
- Allegra KentAllegra KentAllegra Kent is an American ballet dancer and actress.Born in Santa Monica, Kent studied with Bronislava Nijinska and Carmelita Maracci before joining the School of American Ballet. After graduating, she joined the New York City Ballet in 1953 at the age of 15, and was promoted to principal in 1957...
- Edward VillellaEdward VillellaEdward Villella is an American ballet dancer and choreographer, frequently cited as America's most celebrated male dancer at the time....
- 3 female demi-soloists
- 12 women
- Fourth movement
- Rondo alla Zingarese
- Suzanne FarrellSuzanne FarrellSuzanne Farrell is an eminent 20th century ballerina and the founder of the Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C....
- 8 women
- 8 men
Reviews
- http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70913F6345F1A7493C0AB178FD85F428685F9NY Times by Clive BarnesClive Barnes (critic)Clive Alexander Barnes, CBE was a British-born American writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977 he was the dance and theater critic for the New York Times, the most powerful position he had held, since its theater critics' reviews historically have had great influence on the success or failure of...
, April 22, 1966]
- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/arts/dance/10ball.htmlNY Times by Alastair MacaulayAlastair MacaulayAlastair Macaulay is a dance critic for the New York Times. He was previously chief dance critic at The Times Literary Supplement and chief theater critic of the Financial Times, both of London...
, June 10, 2008]